Sunday, October 28, 2018

REVIEW: 'Charmed' - Maggie Throws an Elaborate Halloween Party to Trap the Harbinger in 'Sweet Tooth'

The CW's Charmed - Episode 1.03 "Sweet Tooth"

With the instruction of Harry, the sisters are put through witch lessons, so they are able to properly practice their magic. When Macy learns of a mysterious death in her lab from Galvin, she informs her sisters and together they devise a plan to suss out the demon. Trying to speed the plan along, Mel uses her magic irresponsibly leaving Harry no choice but to constrain her. Maggie continues to struggle at balancing her two worlds - especially after she volunteers to throw a Halloween party at her house.

In 2018, it has become very difficult to keep up with every television show out there. It's even more difficult to provide adequate coverage on this site about the episodes that air every week. Not every show can get full coverage because of my busy and hectic viewing schedule. As such, some reviews will now be condensed to give only some summary thoughts. But it also affords a space for me to jot down my thoughts on the various episodes. And so, here are my thoughts on this week's episode of The CW's Charmed.

"Sweet Tooth" was written by Joey Falco and directed by Norman Buckley

Charmed is still just establishing its rules of magic. Each episode seems to only be introducing more ideas that the sisters have to figure out. Of course, each conflict is allowed to play out in an episodic format. So these issues aren't stretched out for a long period of time. Each sister learns their lesson about the best and most responsible way to use magic. But it also still feels like the show is using these themes in order to better figure out its characters. Macy is tentative and in her head about a lot of things. She doesn't know how to instinctively do something - especially if it doesn't seem right or perfect. When she does need to act and be impulsive though, she is rewarded with great things. She is able to stop the harbinger from killing her while also having a victorious moment with Galvin. Meanwhile, Mel sees magic as this powerful thing that can easily wipe out all of the problems that she and her sisters could face in this world. She doesn't understand the potential consequences of that power though. She can freeze time. And yet, she's not paying much attention to making the transition seamless for anyone who happens to be looking at her when she comes in and out of that magic. Plus, she is willing to use one of the most powerful spells to defeat the harbinger even though she severely injures Macy in the process. Fortunately, Harry is still there to heal her injuries and ensure that everything works out for the best. Mel believes that he is being hard on her because he's another straight white man who is used to lording his power over women. She sees magic as the thing that will ensure she never feels powerless again. But she is torn because she is forced into the closet for the first time because she has to keep a secret from the woman she loves. She doesn't want to be lying to Niko. But she must continue to do so for the moment because that's simply the conventional way of driving tension between them. Sure, it's a story that has been done so many times previously. This show doesn't really find a new spin on it either. They will be a much more engaging couple as soon as Niko is fully aware of what's going on in her world and why there are suddenly so many dead bodies in her town. And finally, Maggie just wants to use magic for her own personal gain. She is distracted because joining a sorority means so much to her. She wants to impress Lucy even though the show really hasn't presented a good enough reason for why Maggie should join. It's just something that interests her. As such, she throws this party that eventually welcomes the harbinger. She is able to argue for it actually being a good plan to find the demon. However, she is using magic to improve the decorations and put on a stunning costume for Halloween. But all of this proves to have a cost as well. Magic is apparently something that needs to remain in balance for an individual and the overall world. The more that Maggie uses it for personal gain the less she'll have in dire and extreme circumstances. Macy is almost killed because of her recklessness. She makes up for it in the end. This episode mostly proves that the Charmed Ones still have so much to learn about how to use magic. They have this power and responsibility. They trust each other. They are still successful in trapping the harbinger. But now, it just so happens to be tied up in their attic waiting for the council of witches to decide what to do next.